History

21092007

Remembering the Past: Small Beginnings, Great Possibilities

by NSL

Pastor Apolinario P. Cubing, seven months after resigning from Full Gospel Center Church (Assembly of God), started the church on the first Sunday of September 1989 with about 26 members. The fledgling church met in a small room with CRC (Christian Resource Center) provided for us (for whatever we could give) by Pastor Romeo Malazarte (died 1990) then pastor of Christ-Centered Fellowship. We had absolutely nothing when we started this ministry (the organ, the microphone, the chairs, etc. we used during those early months were all borrowed). There were even times when the pastor cannot be paid because there was just too little income. However, what we lacked in materials we compensated with our intense desire to serve God and see His will done in our lives and in our city. So, we struggled. We did not give up.

After a year of fellowship at the CRC more members came into our ranks and the place became uncomfortable for us so that we decided to look for another place of worship. In 1990 we transferred to a bigger room at the Provincial Capitol. We stayed at the Capitol for two years (1990-1992).

In 1992, an opportunity opened for us to transfer to a more permanent place when Pastor Norman S. Lao was appointed Director of Agape Campus Missions (an Assembly of God campus ministry operating in almost all the Universities, Colleges and High Schools in the city). Pastor Cubing, seeing Pastor Norman’s leadership potential, appointed him to the position of Associate Pastor of the church in 1992. The Lord began to open more doors of blessings for us at this time. We grew to about 110 members and we were able to acquire our own musical instruments, chairs, pay rent, utilities and church workers.

In 1994, however, the owner of the building complex decided to renovate his property and requested the tenants to transfer. The move was sudden and we were caught almost unprepared. For one month we held temporary fellowship at the River Queen Hotel at three in the afternoon because the functions rooms were fully booked in the morning. Unfortunately, we lost some members due to this transfer.

Just before that month ended we found a new place for our church. A fellowship renting the function room at Lelac Inn (in front of CPU) decided to move out. We immediately applied to fill the vacancy. From 1994 t0 2006 we held church at Lelac Inn.

Pastor Norman was ordained into the ministry in September 1996 by Rev. Apolinario P. Cubing, Rev. Narciso Dionson, the Pastoral Staff, and the congregation. The following year Pastor Cubing retired and handed the leadership of the Church to Pastor Norman.

In 2001 the Lord helped us plant (or give birth to) our first daughter church in Amparo, Pavia. That was followed by another church plant in Siwalo, Maasin in 2003 and another in Buenavista, Guimaras in 2004. We are currently starting another church in Balabag, Pavia (2007).

After some turn of divinely appointed events, Julius and Lina Dureza gave us the permission to build our own church building on their lot at Fajardo Subd., Sambag, Jaro, Iloilo City in February 2006. The church was then mobilized to raise the funds for the construction of the church building. All Living Rock members pledged a total of over P200,000. We were amazed at how God helped us to raise what seemed to be an impossible amount of money. Many people who were not even members of our church family sent their help from all over the world (Canada, California, Chicago, The Netherlands, etc.).

By September 2006, our church was about 90% done and we were able to use it for our 17th year anniversary (visit our photos at www.flickr.com/jlrcm). We dedicated our church building to the Lord last Sepetember 23 during our 18th church anniversary.

Today, the Living Rock Church has five pastors, three daughter churches, one outreach church, a 12-member pastoral staff, a 15-member praise and worship team, more than 160 children in our feeding program, about 35 workers, an online ministry, a printing ministry, and a combined membership of about 200 (adults and young people).

There is only one reason for all these: Jesus Christ. May He always be glorified.